1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to water-soluble salts of dodecandioic acid and compositions with therapeutic or nutritional activity containing such salts.
Dodecandioic acid, HOOC(CH.sub.3).sub.10 COOH, and its derivatives such as amides with amino acids, triglycerides and their pharmacologically acceptable salts have recently aroused substantial interest in the nutritional field.
2. Description of the Related Art
EP 0569393 B1 discloses the use of linear C6-C12 dicarboxylic acids, including dodecandioic acid, and their esters, amides and triglycerides in enteral and parenteral nutrition in which the use of such dicarboxylic acids with an even number of carbon atoms as an alternative energy substrate proves particularly useful in those conditions wherein the utilisation of glucose and/or free fatty acids is prevented.
Since these linear acids with an even number of carbon atoms are symmetrical, they can be .beta.-oxidised starting from the .alpha. or .omega.-carboxyl group supplying acetyl CoA and succinic acid as the end product The increased availability of succinic acid stimulates the metabolism of other substrates via the Krebs cycle. In addition, succinic acid is a gluconeogenic precursor, with the result that the administration of such acids is believed to increase the accumulation of glycogen in those clinical conditions that give rise to a decrease in glycogen owing to inadequate glycogen-synthase activity (as occurs in diabetes mellitus) and to reduce the catabolic breakdown of amino acids in conditions of increased glycogenolysis (as occurs in conditions of sepsis, trauma or major abdominal surgery).
Dodecandioic acid has also recently been proposed for cosmetic use, particularly for the production of creams for the treatment of wrinkles, for the regeneration of the skin and to combat the damage of ageing and exposure to the sun's rays.